Brighter Skies
by IchigoShoujo23
Summary: One-shot. "The sound of his name was like a bullet. It shot through her heart, leaving an empty hole. She felt a part of herself was missing. She collapsed, her legs could no longer carry her. The urge of vengeance was getting stronger." MxN RnR


**Shou-chan: **Sorry I haven't posted in a long while. High school is really busy, especially when you're an active student... I had to be excused for 2 weeks because of the school play, and when i came back to class, I had 14 test to do in one week. Not to mention tons of projects... : anyway, after this I'll be busy again because our exams are coming...

Btw, This was actually my english project. It turned out nice, co I posted it and changed the characters to Mikan and Natsume. Sorry if they are a bit out of character :P

**Ikasashimi: **It's okay onee-chan, I saw how much you suffered... It was fun :)

**TearlessSonnet: **Yah, I remember when you had to do 6 Long Tests in one day :O

**Shou-chan: **Anyway, hope you like the story! ^^

**Disclaimer: **I don't own gakuen alice

* * *

**Brighter Skies**

It was a cold winter night. A little girl, no less than 14, was running through a thick dark forest. She had long flowing brunette hair and beautiful hazel eyes. Her body was bruised, her porcelain face was tear-stained, and her long slender legs were aching. But she could not stop running. If she did, she would be tempted to go back – go back and get her revenge.

She knew revenge was wrong, but her heart still longed for it._ 'Why!?' _Her mind screamed, _'How could everything vanish in one night!? Father… Mother… Natsume…' _Her eyes, already puffy and sore, let out more tears. She had nothing left. No family, no friends, no home… _'I won't see him anymore…'_

"Natsume…" the words escaped her lips. The sound of his name was like a bullet. It shot thorough her heart, leaving an empty hole. She felt a part of herself was missing. She collapsed; her legs could no longer carry her. The urge for vengeance was getting stronger.

She crawled into a nearby cave and let her memories, bitter and sweet, engulf her…

* * *

***11 years ago***

"Happy Birthday Mikan!" the girl's mother cheered. She was a middle-aged woman with an air of refinement around her. She had brunette hair, and hazel eyes, just like her daughter. In her eyes, Mikan can see nothing but happiness – happiness with a touch of mischief.

"How fast time flies! How old are you now? Three?" Mikan's father said as he lifted her in the air with his strong arms. He was a well built man with sandy blonde hair and liquid blue eyes. "We would like you to meet someone, he's a very charming lad." He said, placing her back down.

MIkan's parents led her through the hallway of their house leading to the living room. There, she saw a boy, one year older than her, with raven black hair and piercing crimson eyes. He was seated between his parents on the sofa.

"His name is Natsume Hyuuga. He just moved in next door. Now you have a friend to play with, Mkan!" her mother chimed.

They lived in a small village surrounded by forest and farmland with a strong flowing river in the east. The village had a small population, and the children whose ages were closest to Mikan's were 12 years old or older, so Mikan usually just played with her mother. She was simply delighted to have a new friend!

"Hi! I'm Mikan Sakura! Nice to meet you!" she said in a sweet voice as she approached Natsume.

"Hey," he said in a gentle but indifferent voice.

* * *

***Present times***

"Natsume always was the quiet serious type," Mikan whispered to herself. Her heart ached more when she thought of him, but she could not help herself. He was like a drug to her, once he enters her mind, she couldn't get him out, not that she wanted him out of her mind.

'_Mama and Papa too, were very kind. But I can't believe they teased me and Natsume, saying we were a couple." _Mikan smiled. Although her heart felt it was going to shatter, remembering her family and friends, and the time they spent together, always made her happy.

'_I remember the time I first fell in love with Natsume, he really could be sweet sometimes…'_

_

* * *

_

***4 years ago***

"Natsume!" Mikan called, "Come and play with me!" She was sitting on top of a tall slide at the small park in their village.

Natsume, on the other hand, was leaning on one of the large cherry trees. Spring had come and the blossoms were in full bloom, glowing a beautiful pink and white, bringing a warm feeling to one's heart. His piercing eyes were on her, watching her protectively.

As usual, he refused, "No way, only _kids _use slides!" he said, a smirk plastered on his face.

"Geez! I'm not a kid anymore, you meanie!" giving him a cold glare, Mikan began to slide down. But suddenly, the sleeve of her sweater snagged on a piece of metal jutting out from the slide's handles, and she was swept sideways and fell off.

She closed her eyes, bracing herself for a big 'THUD!' and an aching body. But, it didn't come. Instead, she felt herself land on something warm. Slowly, she opened her eyes; her cheeks turned ten shades of red.

"You're such a klutz," Natsume breathed, his face hovering above hers. Their faces were almost touching, and Mikan could feel his breath on her lips, and she knew he could feel hers. He was teasing, but she saw true concern in his eyes. For one moment, they were in their own world. It was just him and her and the suffocating feel of 'something'.

Mikan's heart skipped a beat, "T-t-thanks…" she stuttered, "can you put me down now?" she said, trying to keep her tone normal. Sadly, it didn't work. She heard her pitch rise; her voice almost cracked.

"Tch. Whatever," Natsume said as he started walking towards the road, "I'll bring you back home."

"Sure," Miakn replied, deep in her thoughts. _'What was that feeling a while ago? It feels different… It's weird, but it's also warm and fluffy…'_

_

* * *

_

***Present times***

'_And as soon as I got home and Natsume left, I told mama everything,' _Mikan smiled once more. She could no longer feel the pain of her wounds for the cold winter air had crept in the cave and numbed her body. The pull of vengeance on her soul, though still flaring, began to die down.

'_Mama told me it was love, but I didn't want to believe her. I merely thought of it as an 'aftershock' caused by my embarrassing fall. Soon after, our neighbor's started treating us as a couple.' _a small giggle escaped her lips, _'Life was glorious… until the news came…'_

_

* * *

_

***1 month ago***

Mikan's father rushed into the room, banging the door in the process. He had just come home from work and was fatigued, but his eyes were anxious, heavy with the burden of bringing home the bad news. He pulled a chair from the table and sat down, his head lying on the palms of his hands. "Why did this happen?" His voice was weary and tired.

"What's wrong papa!?" Mikan asked, frightened by her father's behavior. The atmosphere in the room had grown thick and heavy. She clung on to Natsume. They were sitting together on the sofa, his arm around her shoulder. "Old man, what's going on?" Natsume asked in a serious tone.

Mikan's father looked from Natsume, to Mikan, and finally, to his wife. "Our country had a strong disagreement with Britain **(AN: I didn't mean anything bad by this. Britain was just the first country I thought of... :P )**a year ago. The battle never stopped. And now, they have waged a war…"

There was a long silence in the room, everyone deep in their own thoughts. The silence screamed in Mikan's ears; she could not take it. Finally, Natsume broke the silence, "It is unlikely we're going to be involved. This village is isolated from the others."

"It is because we are isolated that we are more likely to be involved," Mikan's mother spoke this time.

"And why is that?" Natsume asked, confused.

"Because," Mikan's father answered, "Britain will have to test their weapons and artilleries. And what is a better place to test it than in an isolated village belonging to the enemy? The military probably won't be able to save us…"

* * *

***Present times***

'_We tried escaping the village. But in the end, there was no where to run. There was no place in this country that was safe. It would be the same if we went to the neighboring villages. And, in the cities, they were all probably in chaos with this upcoming battle…'_

"And then," Mikan whispered to herself, "the time came…"

* * *

***This morning***

11 in the morning, Mikan woke to the sound of engines roaring in the air and the frantic calling of her mother from the living room.

"What's happening mama?" Mikan asked, dazed. She entered the room her parents were in. Her father was looking out the window at the planes flying overhead while her mother was hastily packing some food.

"We have to leave! Now!" her mother screamed, fear evident in her voice, "Natsume's family is already packing up! Change your clothes and pack a few things you want to bring with you!"

Mikan obeyed without question. She swiftly changed her clothes and packed some clothes, a small pillow, toiletries and the stuffed bear Natsume had given her on her last birthday in a backpack.

Mikan and her parents met Natsume at the park.

"Where are your parents!?" Mikan's mother almost screamed.

"They decided to stay and trust in faith rather than run…" Natsume's voice cracked. There were tears in his eyes; it had been hard for him to leave them.

"Oh, my dear," Mikan's mother said in a comforting tone as she hugged Natsume, "I'm sorry, but we have to go. Your parents would have wanted you to be safe."

Natsume merely nodded. His gaze went to Mikan and their eyes met. Once again, they were in their own world, a world filled with that something Mikan finally understood. A silent message passed between them, one that didn't need words to be said. And in that moment, hope sprang in their heart – hope of a better future with no fears and hesitations, hope that they can be together after the nightmare ends.

They were about to leave when a deafening explosion shook the ground behind them. The bombing has begun. And the bomb had hit the area where Natsume's home had been, where his family prayed.

"NO!" Mikan's mother screamed, "We have to help them, Izumi! They may still be alive!" She stared at her husband for a moment then run off towards the site of the explosion.

"Yuka! Come back! We need to leave!" Mikan's father shouted, running after her.

"MAMA! PAPA!" Mikan screamed, tears running down her face. She was about to give chase when Natsume caught her and pulled her into a hug to prevent her from following them.

"It's too dangerous for you to go… I promised your parents I would take care of you…" Natsume said, whispering in Mikan's ear. But Mikan would not calm down.

"Leave it to me. I'll bring them back,"

Mikan nodded. He left her by the mango tree before running off to call her parents. But the hardest part in these kinds of times was the waiting, and Mikan could not take it any longer. She ran after them. Just as they came into view some 30 feet away – Mikan's parents arguing about what to do and Natsume trying to make peace between them – a bomb came roaring from above and struck them.

The image of the explosion was burned into Mikan's mind. She knew that they would have wanted her to live, but she no longer had the will to. To her, it seems, her life itself had ended. She had nothing left. But then, she remembered the moment with Natsume, the hope that grew.

'_They would have wanted me to live…' _Mikan told herself, _'I have to go… I have to go and live for their sakes…' _and with that thought, she ran to the forest, her heart filled with hate, sorrow, rage and love.

* * *

***Present times***

Mikan pulled the stuffed bear Natsume gave her out of her bag and hugged it. She noticed a piece of paper on it that wasn't there before. She opened it and recognized Natsume's handwriting…

_I will always be with you._

_I love you, Mikan._

Tears flowed once more, but this time, they weren't tears of sorrow or rage, but tears of joy and peace. All her thoughts of vengeance had disappeared and were replaced by thoughts of her parents and Natsume. She was never alone; they still lived inside of her. She felt light once more, the long nightmare had ended. The sun was beginning to rise; light pierced the darkness. Hope had revived her soul. She would live on to a new beginning, to brighter skies, _'for mama, for papa, and for Natsume…'_

The End

* * *

**Shou-chan: **Yay! My first one shot! RnR!

**TearlessSonnet: **Btw, tin, aren't you feeling kinda hungry after all that typing? :)

**Shou-chan:** You're right! :)) I feel like eating squid! :)

**Ikasashimi: **What??? Waaah! Nee-chan and isa are MEAN! :((


End file.
